Racing Victoria acquires land in Melbourne’s North-West
In a bid to future-proof racing in the state, Racing Victoria (RV) has contracted to purchase a large parcel of land on the urban fringe of Melbourne.
The plot of land is triple the size of Flemington Racecourse, and located in Melbourne’s North-West, less than 10 minutes from Tullamarine Airport and 30 minutes from the Melbourne CBD.
RV CEO Giles Thompson said: “This land helps future-proof our industry and delivers a valuable asset for Victorian racing. Its size and location provide the industry with a number of potential uses which will be workshopped and planned in the years to come.
“Any development of the land will only occur following a detailed feasibility and planning process involving extensive consultation with all our key industry stakeholders.”
Triggs appointed CEO of Inglis Rural Property
Sam Triggs has been promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Inglis Rural Property.
Triggs has held the title of Rural Property Sales Manager since joining Inglis in 2014, following eight years with rural property specialists Meares and Associates.
Triggs, who will assume his new role on June 1, has managed the growth of the annual sales at Inglis Rural Property from circa $20 million in 2014 to $250 million in the 2021/22 financial year.
Behemoth likely to chase Memsie hat-trick
David Jolly has suggested a tilt at a third-consecutive G1 Memsie S. victory, rather than a winter campaign in Queensland, is the preferred option for his stable star Behemoth (All Too Hard).
A third G1 Memsie S. victory beckons for Behemoth | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“It’s always been a very good race to him, the Memsie, I think, and we know that’s what he’s good at, the early weight-for-age 1400s,” Jolly told Racing.com.
“That’s probably where he’ll end up, he’ll just have a lead-in run or two before it.”
Behemoth ran seventh, beaten 3.7l, in the G1 The Goodwood last Saturday.
Administrators looking for answers after Balaklava bungle
Racing South Australia has “instigated a formal inquiry” into the incident at Balaklava on Wednesday, where a race was allowed to begin, despite filly Flying Barty (Flying Artie) being stuck under the barrier stalls.
“At this point in time I will not be making any further comment until that process is complete,” Racing SA CEO Nick Redin said.
Racing SA’s Chief Steward Johan Petzer, who was not at the Balaklava meeting, is leading the inquiry.
Treble for Lor, Currie notches fourth win
Frankie Lor’s hopes of securing a maiden Hong Kong trainers’ championship were boosted on Wednesday night when he led in a treble of winners.
Frankie Lor is hoping for his first Hong Kong trainers' championship
With 14 meetings remaining, Lor has 77 wins, three more than Australian John Size, an 11-time Hong Kong Champion Trainer.
Meanwhile, Aussie jockey Luke Currie chalked up up his fourth victory of an injury-interrupted debut season aboard the David Hall-trained Red Brick Fighter (Artie Schiller {USA}).
Swettenham recruit attracting plenty of interest
Wooded (Ire), a Group 1-winning son of Wootton Bassett (GB), is proving to be popular with breeders, according to Swettenham Stud’s General Manager Sam Matthews.
Wooded will stand his first season in Australia for $22,000 (inc GST).
Wooded (Ire) will stand his first season in Australia at Swettenham Stud | Image courtesy of Al Shaqab
“At $20,000 he’s one of two first-season sires down here in Victoria and he’s been really well-received,” Matthews told Racing.com.
“He’s a different sort of a horse because he’s 16-2 (hands), so he’s a bigger horse, but he won his Group 1 over 1000 metres.”
Lane hunts Grade 1 glory in Japan
Australian jockey Damian Lane will ride Lord Les Ailes (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in Sunday’s G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), which is one of the biggest races in the country.
The 2400-metre race, which is run on turf, is restricted to colts, with all horses to carry a set weight of 57kg.
Trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida, Lord Les Ailes, ran second in the G2 Aobo Sho last time out.
Deep Impact won the Tokyo Yushun in 2005, the year he completed the Triple Crown.
Alderson hopes to Jigsaw puzzle is solved
Cranbourne-based trainer Cindy Alderson wants to see further improvement from talented 3-year-old Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain), who will contest a 1200-metre BM78 at Caulfield on Saturday.
A Group 3 placegetter at a juvenile, Jigsaw was gelded following a relatively unsuccessful campaign last spring.
Jigsaw leads them home at Caulfield as a 2-year-old and heads back there this weekend | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
He resumed with a win at Cranbourne on May 13.
“It didn’t seem to have an effect early, but it may just be starting to work now,” Alderson told Melbourne radio station RSN927.
“It’s been an interesting journey as a trainer having that horse because he is a little different in the way he seems to process things.”
Baaeed’s brother a Coronation Cup starter
Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) – the brother of multiple Group-1 winning miler Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) – will take his place in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom on June 3 after turning in a nice piece of work.
“(Jockey) Jim (Crowley) was happy and he’s moving well. It was a pleasing bit of work, so it’s all systems go,” trainer Owen Burrows told Racing Post.
“He’ll do a bit of work again on Saturday and then breeze next week, but that was his main, important bit.”
Walker not worried by wide gate for Entriviere
Mark Walker – the trainer of top Kiwi mare Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) isn’t losing sleep over the barrier draw for Saturday’s G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup at Eagle Farm.
Entriviere will go from stall 12 in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Assuming the emergencies don’t get a start, Entriviere will jump from stall 12, with Opie Bosson to steer.
“I don’t really see it as a huge negative. If she’s three-wide with cover midfield, that’s still okay. I don’t think it’s as big a negative as what people are saying,” Walker told NZ Racing Desk.
Trio of sires at the double
Three stallions - Scissor Kick, Air Force Blue (USA) and Not A Single Doubt - all enjoyed a winning double on Thursday.
Ella Te Ama (Scissor Kick) took out the opening event at Gosford, while Calm Down Jamal (Scissor Kick) triumphed in race two at Kilmore.
Air Force Blue’s successors were at Kimore, with Catalina Black Cat and Fly On Bye both victorious.
And the now-retired Not A Single Doubt had a winner at Bathurst (O'Not A Doubt) and Gosford (Ultra).
